postal

Friday May 22, 2015

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Friday May 22, 2015 NDP says they would bring back door-to-door mail delivery in Hamilton The federal NDP will reinstate door-to-door delivery and get rid of super mailboxes on the Mountain if the party forms government after the upcoming election. Hamilton MPs David Christopherson and Wayne Marston made the announcement at city hall this morning, lauding council for being "at the forefront" of the effort to save traditional mail delivery through its court battle with Canada Post. "If we have to change the legislation, we'll do it," Christopherson said of the plan to reverse Canada Post's multi-year plan to replace door-to-door delivery with super mailboxes across Canada. He acknowledged there would be cost to removing thousands of recently installed super mailboxes - including several hundred alone on the Mountain. But he said those costs, as yet not calculated, have to be "weighed against the cost to the (postal) service." He argued Canadians are better served by door-to-door mail delivery and added at a minimum, residents "deserve to be consulted" about the future of the service. The city will face off against Canada Post in court sometime next week over the legality of a bylaw that seeks to regulate where super mailboxes are installed in the municipal right-of-way. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5637988-ndp-says-they-would-bring-back-door-to-door-mail-delivery-in-hamilton/ Canada, Thomas Mulcair, NDP, mail, postal, delivery, snail, election, promise, service, communication

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday May 22, 2015

NDP says they would bring back door-to-door mail delivery in Hamilton

The federal NDP will reinstate door-to-door delivery and get rid of super mailboxes on the Mountain if the party forms government after the upcoming election.

Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Saturday April 25, 2015 Canada Post strikes back in mailbox battle Canada Post has asked the courts to strike down Hamilton's mailbox installation bylaw the day after eight charges were laid under the new rules. Canada Post spokesperson Jon Hamilton said the legal counter-move came after the agency received a city order to stop ongoing installation of the controversial community mailboxes based on the recently passed bylaw. He said he wasn't aware of any charges under the bylaw, but added a hearing to consider Canada Post's application is scheduled for April 28. City spokesperson Mike Kirkopoulos said Friday eight charges related to three unidentified mailbox locations were sworn late Thursday Ð six against Canada Post and two against a subcontractor, SNC Lavalin. He couldn't immediately comment on what the latest court filing means to the city. "We regret that court action is necessary É but we're at a point where we need to continue to move forward," said Hamilton, noting, the agency has been in contact with the city since last June over the planned installations. The legal battle started when the city enacted a new bylaw earlier this month that requires the Crown corporation to apply for a $200 permit for each of an estimated 4,000 community mailboxes meant to replace door-to-door mail delivery in Hamilton. Council followed up on Wednesday by asking its lawyers to file a court application to "restrain" ongoing installation by Canada Post. The agency's counter-move appears to have been filed first, however. Canada Post has argued from the get-go its federal mandate trumps municipal bylaws and installation of the first of 1,000 mailboxes on the Mountain began last Friday. (Source: Hamilton Spectator) http://www.thespec.com/news-story/5575336-canada-post-strikes-back-in-mailbox-battle/ Hamilton, Canada, Canada Post, mail, post, postal service, Superbox, court, legal, military, mission, bomb

Hamilton MPs David Christopherson and Wayne Marston made the announcement at city hall this morning, lauding council for being “at the forefront” of the effort to save traditional mail delivery through its court battle with Canada Post.

“If we have to change the legislation, we’ll do it,” Christopherson said of the plan to reverse Canada Post’s multi-year plan to replace door-to-door delivery with super mailboxes across Canada.

He acknowledged there would be cost to removing thousands of recently installed super mailboxes – including several hundred alone on the Mountain.

But he said those costs, as yet not calculated, have to be “weighed against the cost to the (postal) service.”

Thursday April 16, 2015He argued Canadians are better served by door-to-door mail delivery and added at a minimum, residents “deserve to be consulted” about the future of the service.

The city will face off against Canada Post in court sometime next week over the legality of a bylaw that seeks to regulate where super mailboxes are installed in the municipal right-of-way. (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Published in Opinion 250 (Prince George BC), L’Acadie Nouvelles, Gull Lake Advance, Brandon Sun, Nanaimo Daily News, Regina LEader Post, Calgary Herald, and The Corner Brook Newspaper

 

Saturday April 18, 2015

Saturday April 18, 2015Editorial cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday April 18, 2015

City girds for superbox battle with Canada Post

The city is willing to take Canada Post to court over its plans to unilaterally install controversial super-mailboxes across the city.

Council enacted a new bylaw Wednesday that requires the Crown corporation to apply for a $200 permit for each of an estimated 4,000 community mailboxes meant to replace door-to-door mail delivery in Hamilton.

That means city bylaw officers can now lay provincial offences charges if Canada Post ignores the new rules and begins installing the unpopular “super-mailboxes” this week on the Mountain.

The agency argued Wednesday it isn’t bound by the bylaw.

The city should charge the Crown corporation anyway in the case of a violation “and let the courts decide who is right and who is wrong,” said Coun. Terry Whitehead.

Whitehead put forward what he called an “unprecedented” municipal regulation motion.

“There ought to be some regulations that apply when Canada Post does this, because it sounds like they’re going to continue on (with mailbox installation) whether we like it or not,” said Mayor Fred Eisenberger. “I think they ought to be a little more understanding and work with the city … to access our right-of-ways and roadways.”

Canada Post has no plans to delay the first wave of installations on the Mountain, said spokesperson Jon Hamilton, who nonetheless wouldn’t speculate how the Crown corporation will react if it is charged under a municipal bylaw.

He reiterated that Canada Post believes it continues to have the “jurisdiction” and “authority” to install mailboxes in municipal road allowances. The agency is willing to “work collaboratively” on locating the boxes, he added, but that doesn’t include following the bylaw or applying for individual permits.  (Source: Hamilton Spectator)

Wednesday June 22, 2011

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator - Wednesday June 22, 2011 Back-to-work Legislation in the making Canada Post workers are gathering in the heart of Toronto's downtown to rally against the federal government's attempt to force them to go back to work if a contract agreement can't be struck. John Cartwright, the president of Toronto and York region labour council, said he expects hundreds to gather at the rally Wednesday morning at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas streets. In addition to postal workers, workers from every sector of the economy are expected to attend the rush-hour rally at one of the busiest corners in the city. Those people, Cartwright said, are standing up for the next generation of Canadian workers who deserve the same wages and benefits his generation received. As of about 8:30 a.m., more than 100 workers had assembled at Yonge and Dundas, surrounded by loudspeakers and carrying placards emblazoned with slogans like "negotiate not legislate." The rally comes two days after the Conservative government in Ottawa tabled back-to-work legislation. Parliament spent much of the day Tuesday debating the legislation, which would force workers to go back to work should the union, CUPW, and management fail to reach a deal on a new contract. The government hopes to vote on the legislation Thursday. Canada Post locked out workers on June 14, after 12 days of rotating strikes launched by the union. The two sides met for talks on Tuesday (Source: CBC News) http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/no-new-talks-set-for-canada-post-and-union-1.978939 Canada, Stephen Harper, Public service, back-to-work, legislation, majority, Ottawa, Postal, strike, fighter, jet

By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday June 22, 2011

Back-to-work Legislation in the making

Canada Post workers are gathering in the heart of Toronto’s downtown to rally against the federal government’s attempt to force them to go back to work if a contract agreement can’t be struck.

John Cartwright, the president of Toronto and York region labour council, said he expects hundreds to gather at the rally Wednesday morning at the intersection of Yonge and Dundas streets.

In addition to postal workers, workers from every sector of the economy are expected to attend the rush-hour rally at one of the busiest corners in the city.

Those people, Cartwright said, are standing up for the next generation of Canadian workers who deserve the same wages and benefits his generation received. As of about 8:30 a.m., more than 100 workers had assembled at Yonge and Dundas, surrounded by loudspeakers and carrying placards emblazoned with slogans like “negotiate not legislate.”

The rally comes two days after the Conservative government in Ottawa tabled back-to-work legislation. Parliament spent much of the day Tuesday debating the legislation, which would force workers to go back to work should the union, CUPW, and management fail to reach a deal on a new contract.

The government hopes to vote on the legislation Thursday.

Canada Post locked out workers on June 14, after 12 days of rotating strikes launched by the union. The two sides met for talks on Tuesday (Source: CBC News)